Spirited Away: Another Day in Paradise
by Viral Inque
Summary: Chihiro finds herself back at the bathhouse of the spirits. Naturally, adventure and mayhem insues.
1. Spirited Away Again

Spirited Away: Another Day in Paradise  
A Fanfic by Viral Inque  
Authors Note: My first Spirited Away fic. Well, one of my first in general. Any feedback, good or bad, would be greatly appreciated. More chapters coming soon. Hope you enjoy.  
  
Chapter 1: Spirited Away Again  
  
Chihiro had gradually started visiting the apartment complex after the events that took place when she moved almost a year ago. It was a whole hour from her house by train, but she made the trip almost every other day just the same. It was kind of silly, she thought, and not very safe at her age, but she had been become inexplicably drawn to the place. Her parents had given up on trying to stop her from going. She didn't know anyone in the complex, nor did she visit anyone while she was there. She just sat on a bench or under a tree in the park, drinking syrupy soda that she spent her allowance on and watching people move in and out of the industrial living structures.  
  
They were actually pretty impressive buildings, part of a new wave of modern edifices in the area. They had shiny metal exteriors and flashy glass elevators that made people with a fear of heights sick to their stomachs. Outside, lush and colorful plants and trees litter the place, thriving off the rich soil left behind from the river they dredged up to make room for the apartments. Chihiro enjoyed all these things, but didn't really care all that much about them. None of these things was the reason she had started going there.  
  
Conversely, she hadn't gone near the other place since she had gotten back from her adventure there. As much as she wanted to go back, if only just for a little while, she hadn't gone back. As much as she wanted to see her friends there, she couldn't go back. In fact, she got a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach at the very thought of it. She couldn't figure it out, and in fact felt bad about not wanting to return, but had not gotten the nerve to go near the place to find out why. Instead, she'd come here, in the hope of seeing him just once more.  
  
This wasn't his home though, not anymore anyway, and he couldn't return even if he wanted to. Even still, Chihiro would come here over and over again, in the hope of seeing him.  
  
One day, on a rainy Tuesday afternoon not more then a month ago, she had been certain she had seen him. As she ran towards him, her heart pounding heavy in her chest, she knew it couldn't be him. But she had sensed him near her; as sure as she knew her own name. Of course it hadn't been him, just some junior high school student coming home from a late class, and Chihiro was left heartbroken.  
  
On this particular day, she had brought some popcorn from the nearby convenience store, and was busying herself feeding pigeons, along with the occasional pushy squirrel. She had come to visit the area so often that residents of the apartment complex knew her by face and would wave hello to her as they came home from long days at work.  
  
Focused on the pigeons, which had resorted to violence in order to get at the last few pieces of popcorn, Chihiro hardly noticed someone walking down the paved path and sitting next to her on the bench she was occupying. She gave a lazy wave to the person and didn't give it another thought.  
  
"Do they like popcorn, or these particularly violent birds?" said the person sitting next to Chihiro.  
  
"Hmm, they like the popcorn, mostly," Chihiro stated simply, but as she said it, she couldn't shake the idea that it sounded like someone she knew. As she looked up, she was shocked to see that indeed she did know whom it was.  
  
"Hey kid, what's new?" said the attractive woman sitting next to Chihiro. She waved a calloused hand in greeting.  
  
"Rin-san?" Chihiro answered, her mouth hanging open. Before she could get a reply, she jumped at Rin and wrapped her arms around her neck.  
  
"Rin! Rin! It's really you!" Chihiro cried, hugging Rin so hard that her eyes started to go into the back of her head.  
  
"Yes, yes! It's me. Just, for pity's sake, let go of me!" Rin whimpered, gasping for air. With some effort she pried herself loose from Chihiro's grasp.  
  
For a moment, Chihiro didn't know what to say. She merely stared at Rin with a mixture of surprise and confusion. Rin sat tentatively, hands raised, ready to defend herself if Chihiro decided to spring again.  
  
After several minutes, Chihiro finally asked, "What are you doing here, Rin?"  
  
"Well, to see you of course," Rin replied, flashing her charming smile, "But I should explain first."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Well, you see," Rin began, pausing to take a deep breath, "After you left, a lot of weird stuff went down. When Haku got his name back, he was freed from Yu-Baaba's influence. He proved to be even more powerful when his mind was free, and with Bou going against his mother's behavior, they proved to be a real pain for Yu-Baaba."  
  
"How is Haku? And the baby? How is he doing?" Chihiro blurted out excitedly.  
  
"Slow down, slow down," Rin said, waving her hands at Chihiro dramatically. "Anyway, after a while, Yu-Baaba ended up making some changes around the bathhouse. She'd tell you it was mostly because she was getting tired of Haku pestering her, and while I'm sure that was part of it, I think her sister Zeniiba had something to do with her change of heart too. At least that's what the rumors say."  
  
Rin paused to catch her breath. Chihiro watched attentively as Rin smoothed the wrinkles out of her dress, then went into a purse she was toting and produced two candy bars. She offered one to Chihiro, which she took with a bow, and ripped into the other one. After a few bites of the candy bar, Rin took another deep breath and prepared to continue.  
  
"So Yu-Baaba is still a money hungry old crone," Rin continued, picking her teeth with a stubby fingernail, "But now life at the bathhouse is, I don't know, easier; A little more comfortable maybe. You don't have to worry about Yu-Baaba getting ticked off and turning you into a pig or a lump of coal. Well, not as much anyway. All our contracts have been revised too, although it was too much to think that Yu-Baaba would give us our names back or offer us proper wages. Still, things have improved."  
  
"Wow," Chihiro exclaimed when Rin was finally finished, then with a wrinkle of her brow, added, "So why are you here, Rin?"  
  
"Oh, well, to take you back of course," Rin replied excitedly, "Now mind you, Haku had to really push his luck to get Yu-Baaba to agree to this, so you can be sure you won't be getting too warm a welcome from her. But Haku really never forgot about you, and when he saw an opportunity to get Yu-Baaba to let you come back, he took it. Don't ask me what it cost him, he wouldn't tell me, but you can bet it didn't come cheap."  
  
"What?" Chihiro asked in a confused tone, "I can go back? How? I thought I couldn't?"  
  
"Because of Yu-Baaba, you twit," Rin cried, "I don't know what Haku did or said, but she lifted the spell, or curse, or whatever it was that would have kept you from coming back. She lifted mine too, temporarily, so I could come and get you. Pretty nice, coming back to the regular world, but like a cruel sort of joke, since I still have to go back to the bathhouse."  
  
Chihiro stared at Rin like she had no idea what she was talking about. She just couldn't believe it, couldn't let herself believe it. She looked around her, as if coming out of trance, unsure of where she was or what she had been doing.  
  
"So, come on already. We got a bit of a walk ahead of us," Rin said, standing up and holding out her hand. Chihiro stared at her in disbelieve, then obediently grabbed a hold of Rin's hand, stood, and followed her out of the park.  
  
In Chihiro's shock at what Rin had told her, she didn't consider that they were supposed to be walking some forty miles to get back. It didn't take very long at all though. They walked from one place to the next, going through a door here, or down an alley, or under a bridge, and coming out at all sorts of unexpected places. One door in the back of a bakery led to the hollow of a dead tree, while another in some hospital led then to an underground tunnel. Rin consulted a piece of paper as they went, only looking up occasionally to check their position. Chihiro didn't say much, examining her surroundings in a bemused sort of way, the shock of going back to the bathhouse mingling with the shock of the trip there.  
  
In half an hour or so, after slipping down the steel slope of a park slide, they were at the dirt path that led into the train station. The stone statuette of the two-faced spirit stared at Chihiro mischievously.  
  
"What a pain," Rin said through a yawn, rubbing her eyes, "You ready?"  
  
"But what about my parents?" Chihiro asked.  
  
"They won't even know you're gone. Yu-Baaba will see to it that you get back without missing out on too much time," Rin answered, and began walking towards the dark passage into the station. With one last look at the real world, Chihiro followed.  
  
All the apprehension Chihiro had been harboring about going back to the bathhouse was washed away as she made her way slowly through the dark, windy passage. Gone was the fear she had had the first time around, replaced now by a strange sense of familiarity. It almost felt as if Chihiro was finally going back home after a long holiday in some other place. As they inched their way along the path, Chihiro's heart started to pound in excitement. She found herself smiling, in anticipation and with irrepressible happiness.  
  
"That place where you found me, that's where Haku used to live," Chihiro said, and her voice echoed through the hall and bounced back on her.  
  
"I know," Rin replied.  
  
"I was waiting for him, I guess," Chihiro continued, as a dim light began to filter in from the oncoming station, "I didn't think I'd ever be able to see him again. Or anybody else either."  
  
"I know what you mean," Rin said, as they came to the end of the passage and into the station. She smiled in spite of herself, unable to hide how happy she was that Chihiro was coming back to the bathhouse. She had to admit, things just hadn't been the same without her there.  
  
The station was just as it had been the first time Chihiro had come through it. Everything was covered in a layer of dust and the paint peeled off the walls in long, brightly colored strips. Off in the distance, a train could be heard chugging down a track.  
  
One more turn and a short while later, they were in the verdant, open fields that led to the town of the spirits. Soon, a river would magically appear in its place, as well as an enormous boat that would transport the spirits across its banks.  
  
Chihiro looked across the field, at the carved stones that littered its path, and at the town off in the distance. She felt a flood of emotions coming over her. She smiled at Rin, who was watching her, enjoying the look of excitement on her face.  
  
"Welcome back," Rin said.


	2. The Thick Of It

Spirited Away: Another Day in Paradise  
A Fanfic by Viral Inque  
Authors Note: My first Spirited Away fic. Well, one of my first in general. Any feedback, good or bad, would be greatly appreciated. More chapters coming soon. Hope you enjoy.  
  
Chapter 2: The Thick Of It  
  
Rin had no desire to walk another step, so they sat in the tall, soft grass, waiting for nightfall and the boat that would transport them comfortably to the other side to arrive. Rin picked at blades of grass, tossing them into the air indifferently, watching them flutter along the breeze. Chihiro wondered what the inside of the boat might be like. If it was anything like the train she had taken a year ago, it would be something to marvel at.  
  
"Tell me about everything that's been going on," Chihiro said as she absentmindedly pulled out her ponytail and tied it back using the ribbon she had gotten from Zeniiba. She looked at it curiously and wondered if she had noticed she had been using it all along.  
  
"Jeez, will you relax," Rin said, rolling her eyes, "You'll be able to see everyone soon enough." She looked over at Chihiro, who was fussing with her hair again without realizing it and tapping her feet nervously, a pleading look on her face. "Oh, fine," she finally said.  
  
Rin told Chihiro everything she could think of that would interest her as they watch the sun slowly make it way to the horizon. Like how a couple of months ago an actual Stink Spirit had come to the bathhouse and they had spent two weeks trying to get rid of the awful stench that it left behind. No-face had come by to visit recently too, roaming the grounds waiting for someone to let him in, or more likely waiting to see Chihiro. He had cause a panic throughout the entire bathhouse until Yu-Baaba had made him leave. Haku spent more time inside the bathhouse these days, no longer going off on long missions for Yu-Baaba. Rin pointed out that he was considerably more pleasant on an everyday basis too.  
  
Chihiro enjoyed hearing all the stories and got even more excited at the thought of seeing her friends, if that was at all possible. She could barely contain herself as the first night stars started to appear in the darkening sky and the last rays of sunlight slowly faded. The ground started to swell, and puddles starting forming in little valleys. As they sat watching, the field filled with water as if it were seeping out from beneath the ground. Higher and higher it rose, until there was a river where the field had been, the water reaching to just in front of them.  
  
"Isn't that neat?" Rin mused.  
  
"Yeah," Chihiro replied, dumbfounded.  
  
To their right, as mysteriously as the river had appeared, the enormous paddleboat of the spirits rose out of the water. The boat created small waves as it came up that crashed into Chihiro and Rin's feet. A plank dropped from the boat onto the grass. As Chihiro and Rin made their way to it, spirits of every shape and size started materializing out of the darkness, making their way onto the boat.  
  
As they walked along the deck of the boat, Chihiro noticed that it was primarily comprised of large rooms lined with row after row of seats. There was one central room on each level, which was both the biggest room, as well as being the area where most of the spirits were migrating. Venders offered trays heaped with rich smelling foods to the spirits as they passed by. As the spirits sat down, women from the bathhouse offer them pillows and blankets.  
  
Rin pointed to two empty seats in a corner and they sat down. They watched patiently as the bustle of spirits boarding the boat continued for several more minutes. Finally, with a jerk, the boat started across the river.  
  
Chihiro could feel all the spirits around her staring at her intently. Occasionally, a bathhouse girl would walk by and give them a dirty look for being able to relax while they had to bust their asses working. Rin had a few choice words for a few of them. Chihiro felt the color rush to her face, and felling suddenly uncomfortable with all the eyes fixed upon her, occupied herself with examining her sneakers.  
  
In no time at all, it seemed, the boat came to a stop on the other end of the river, rocking deeply as it ran aground. Chihiro and Rin disembarked much the same way as they had gotten on, following the throngs of lively characters onto solid ground.  
  
"How about something to eat?" Rin asked, stopping to stretch when they were out of the way of traffic.  
  
"Okay," Chihiro answered, and they made there way into town.  
  
Chihiro's senses went into overload as they got to the many food shops of the town. The smells of all the different foods were incredibly overpowering, as well as enticing. A collective roar flowed through the air, full of pleasant conversation and the clanging of cutlery, plates, and glasses being used. Chihiro cringed as they walked pass the booth where her parents had been turned into pigs a year ago.  
  
They kept on walking until they came to a lonely booth that was adorned with fish heads hanging from the ceiling. The smell of the place reflected the decor. Not surprisingly, there were very few spirits lingering around the booth. An old frog with a long gray beard stood behind the counter, waving a fan across his face. He looked at Chihiro and Rin suspiciously as they approached the booth.  
  
"Hmm, Rin, what brings you here?" the old frog mumbled.  
  
"Shimo, you crazy old coot," Rin said abrasively, but in a conversational tone, "When the hell are you getting rid of all this damn fish. It reeks for half a mile in any direction."  
  
"I'll get rid of them on your wedding day," Shimo replied dryly, letting out a raspy chuckle, "You bitter, loveless, harpie."  
  
"It's good to see you, old man. I don't get to come down this way too much anymore," Rin said, sitting down on the stool nearest to her. Chihiro shrugged and took a seat next to her.  
  
"Good to see you too, Rin. Don't get too much company. Maybe its time to get rid of all these goddamn fish heads," Shimo replied, and let out another sickly laugh, that sounded more like a cough, at his own cleverness. Shimo looked at Chihiro as if he had just noticed she was sitting there and gestured at her with his head.  
  
"Who's that?" he asked Rin.  
  
"Oh, sorry. This is Chihiro," she replied, patting Chihiro on the back, "You've heard of her. She used to be Sen, but she got her freedom and went home. Chihiro, this is Shimo, a useless old man if you'll ever see one."  
  
Chihiro waved timidly and tired not to laugh, not sure if Rin's introduction was supposed to be a joke.  
  
"Useless," Shimo croaked, sounding very much like a frog, "And I'm to assume you expect a handout after that kind of reception."  
  
"If you don't mind," Rin answered with a smile.  
  
"Hold on," Shimo said, and walked gingerly towards the back of the booth and disappeared behind a burgundy colored curtain.  
  
"Shimo's okay," Rin said, leaning in close to Chihiro, "If you ever need anything, especially food, he'll help you out. Just don't get into a conversation about fishing, or you'll be here for days hearing him go on and on."  
  
Chihiro stifled a laugh as Shimo reemerged from behind the curtain, holding two bundles wrapped in napkins.  
  
"I put in a little extra for you," he said with a wink as he handed Chihiro one of the bundles, which was steaming hot, "On account of the fact you helped Haku remember his name, and took some of the wind out of Yu- Baaba's sails."  
  
"Thanks," Chihiro said, and bowed politely.  
  
"Yeah, thanks, Shimo, as always," Rin said, putting her nose to her bundle and sniffing it hungrily.  
  
"Sure, sure," he said, waving their thanks away, "Now get out of here before someone sees you.  
  
"Come on," Rin said, grabbing Chihiro by the arm. They ducked behind the booth, went down a steep dirt path and came to a field of wheat. Rin led them into the rows of towering plants, and stopped as soon as they were safely out of sight.  
  
"Yu-Baaba would, of course, kill us if she caught us eating the food of the spirits," Rin whispered, and Chihiro's heart started racing, "But we should be alright here. We just got to keep moving. If we get back too late, Yu-Baaba will assume we were up to something."  
  
So they walked slowly towards the bathhouse and ate their food under the cover of the tall wheat plants. Chihiro couldn't have begun to explain how delicious the food was if she had wanted to. Every bite sent a rush of flavor into her mouth, making her tongue tingle. She was halfway through eating a piece of shrimp as big as her fist when she began choking.  
  
Rin ran back to her and pounded on her back until she started breathing again in long spasms. "What happened?" she cried.  
  
"This is the food of the spirits," Chihiro cried, her whole body shaking, "Aren't we going to turn into pigs?"  
  
"Don't you think I would have thought of that already," Rin whined, annoyed, "It's fine. Trust me. There are ways around that kind of thing if you know to look. Let's go." As they began moving again, Rin looked over her shoulder, smiling wide, "It's good, isn't it?"  
  
"Delicious," Chihiro said, through a mouthful of shrimp.  
  
They continued down the field, the bathhouse looming closer. Chihiro tried to eat as fast as she could, getting more and more nervous the closer they got to the bathhouse. She found a roasted newt mixed in with her food. She didn't want it, but since it was a widely sought after delicacy in this world, she had the presence of mind to wrap it in a napkin and put it in her pocket. When they reached the end of the field they stopped and shoveled whatever food they had left down their throats. Chihiro took a couple of meat buns and some rolls, wrapped them neatly into napkins, and stuffed them as inconspicuously as possible into her pockets for later.  
  
When they were clear to move out of the shadow of the field, they crossed another field till they reached an embankment that led onto a walkway, and soon they were facing the bridge to the bathhouse. Swarms of spirits pressed along the bridge, to the other side where hundreds of bathhouse workers could be seen waiting to greet them. Instinctively, Chihiro took a deep breath and held it as they reached the foot of the bridge.  
  
"Stop that," Rin scolded, "You're a guest now, sort of. No need to try to hide."  
  
About halfway across the bridge, a pathway cleared so that Chihiro caught a glimpse of Haku waiting on the other side. She thought that if she didn't get across the bridge to him soon, she'd just burst. Soon enough, they were close enough that she could see him smiling at her every time the crowd parted long enough for their eyes to meet. As soon as she had a direct line to him, she covered the last of the distance at a sprint and embraced Haku, nearly knocking them both over.  
  
"Haku, I missed you so much," Chihiro whispered, hugging Haku so hard her arms started to hurt from the effort.  
  
"And I, you," Haku replied. After a moment, he pulled her away, a more somber look on his face, "We'll have time to catch up later, but Yu- Baaba asked that you go to see her as soon as you arrive."  
  
"Oh no," Rin yelled from behind them, walking up to Haku and pointing an accusing finger at his face, "You make sure Yu-Baaba doesn't harass Chihiro while she's here."  
  
"Don't worry, Rin," Haku said, putting up a hand defensively, "It's alright. She only wants to see her, nothing more."  
  
Just the same, Chihiro found Haku's words less then comforting and looked up at the top floor of the bathhouse with a sense of foreboding.


	3. A Fine Mess

Spirited Away: Another Day in Paradise  
A Fanfic by Viral Inque  
Authors Note: My first Spirited Away fic. Well, one of my first in general. Any feedback, good or bad, would be greatly appreciated. More chapters coming soon. Hope you enjoy.  
  
Chapter 3: A Fine Mess  
  
Despite Chihiro's desperate pleading, Rin refused to have anything to do with a trip up to Yu-Baaba's offices on the top floor of the bathhouse. So she set off on the long trip up by herself, the initial exhilaration of coming back to the bathhouse replaced by the same kind of anxiety that had plagued her during her first visit.  
  
This passed eventually as she concentrated on trying to remember how she had gotten to the top floor the last time she'd been up there. There wasn't an elevator in the entire building that went straight from bottom to top, so this took some work. She hoped she'd see the Radish Spirit, so she could ask for his help, but he was nowhere to be found. There were more stares and hushed whispers from the staff, but Chihiro didn't have time to pay them any mind.  
  
As it turned out, she only took one wrong turn on her way up, which she corrected quickly, and after what felt like hours, she recognized the elevator that would take her the rest of the way up to Yu-Baaba's offices. She looked at it with trepidation for a moment, then tentatively stepped on and pulled the lever that brought it to life. It sped past floor after floor, moving so fast that you didn't have time to hear what was going on at a specific floor before it was already too far away. Finally, the car came to a halt with a jolt and the doors opened onto an open hall with high ceilings.  
  
Chihiro stepped onto the landing and walked slowly towards a set of large double doors, her footsteps echoing loudly. The doors were embedded with every sort of jewel and precious metal imaginable. There were rubies and opals and sapphires, all set in solid gold and all too big to be real, but no doubt were. Just above her head, a golden doorknocker sat, its face staring at Chihiro menacingly.  
  
"Good evening, Yu-Baaba-san," Chihiro said, bowing to the knocker.  
  
The knocker blinked and spoke in Yu-Baaba's powerful, booming voice, "Chihiro! Come in, Come in!"  
  
A clicking noise echoed from a mechanism on the door and it swung open. Beyond the doors, was another set, just as remarkable as the first. There was another clicking sound, and it swung open as well. Behind that, another set of doors, which led into another, and then another. Chihiro followed the path closely, as each door slammed shut behind her, admiring the remarkable lavishness of the place. Finally she came one last door, and as it swung open, Yu-Baaba's expansive office came into view.  
  
Much like the rest of the floor, Yu-Baaba's office was lavishly furnished and filled with all sorts of glimmering jewels. At the other end of the room, Yu-Baaba sat at her desk, the smoke from her cigarette filling the room in thick plumes. At the foot of the desk, sat the three greenish heads that served under Yu-Baaba, though their actual function was mostly a mystery. At the sight of Chihiro, they rolled towards her, jumping up and down and speaking in an incoherent tongue comprised of hoots and grunts.  
  
"Come child," Yu-Baaba beckoned, urging Chihiro closer with a long finger, in a subdued drawl that sounded oily and sinister. "Sit," she said, and a chair waddled from a corner, came to rest in front of Yu- Baaba's desk and bent low for Chihiro to sit.  
  
Chihiro inched her way closer, unsure of what Yu-Baaba wanted with her. Yu-Baaba wasn't known for passing out hugs and kisses when she asked someone to come to her offices. Yu-Baaba waited patiently as Chihiro slowly made her way to the desk, taking lengthy drags from her cigarette, the ash dropping off in long cylindrical heaps. The heads followed her across the room, gazing at Chihiro intently.  
  
"It's alright," Yu-Baaba said, as the two of them exchanged glances, "I mean you no harm. You are no longer in my employ. I have no particular power over you."  
  
Sensing an uncharacteristic sincerity in her words, Chihiro slid into the chair, still eyeing Yu-Baaba suspiciously. She smiled as she leaned in close to her.  
  
"If you ever repeat what we speak of here tonight," Yu-Baaba hissed, "It will be the last thing you ever do. Do you understand me?"  
  
Chihiro tried her best to nod, but it felt like she was shaking too much for it have looked right. "Yes, ma'am," she whimpered.  
  
"Very good," Yu-Baaba said, leaning back in her chair and slumping deeply into it, "I can't very well have my employees finding out that I can be civil. But you, Chihiro, I have a modicum of respect for you. You bested me, fair and square. Outsmarted and outwitted. There aren't many souls that can say that."  
  
Chihiro tried to conceal her bemusement. She sat staring at Yu-Baaba, a look of complete confusion on her pallid face.  
  
"Don't look so surprised," Yu-Baaba smiled, "After all, I'm not a monster, you know."  
  
Chihiro moved her lips, as if she was trying to say something, but no words came out. The heads starting making a commotion as they rolled into the room, balancing a golden tray holding a pot of tea and a pile of large shortbread cookies. Chihiro wondered why she hadn't noticed them leave. They approached Yu-Baaba, who poured herself a cup of tea, then went into a drawer in her desk and pulled out a flask. She poured a yellowish liquid from the flask into her cup of tea.  
  
The heads now moved to Chihiro, and sat in front of her with the tray balanced on top of them. Chihiro's mind screamed for her to get up and run for her life. Instead, she resigned to her current situation and took a shortbread cookie and bit into it. It tasted magical, and it probably was.  
  
"I must admit," Yu-Baaba continued, sipping her tea, "For a long time, I wanted you to come back here just so I can skin you alive. You've made a lot of trouble for me since you've been gone. Haku has been a constant thorn in my side. Tirelessly making demands. It drives me crazy. And my baby won't hear of me doing things that you might find too nasty."  
  
"I'm sorry," Chihiro said honestly. She finished off her cookie and took another one. They were incredible.  
  
"Don't give it another thought," Yu-Baaba said, waving the apology away, "You can say that I've, well, gotten over it."  
  
So, tell me what you've been up to, Chihiro," she said, lighting up a fresh cigarette.  
  
So Chihiro did, and found Yu-Baaba to be quite pleasant. She told her about school, and about her new house, and her concerns and thoughts about things going on in the world. Yu-Baaba listened to her politely, offering an occasional 'hmm' or 'uh-huh'. Mostly, Chihiro like listening to Yu- Baaba tell stories of things that had been happening in the bathhouse. She was a dramatic storyteller, and everything sounded so grand and impressive when she spoke of it. Chihiro asked her about the Stink Spirit and they both laughed about it.  
  
Chihiro couldn't tell how long they sat there talking, but soon the tray of cookies was empty and the three heads rolled out of the room with it. Chihiro had become very comfortable in talking with Yu-Baaba and she felt a new closeness to her akin to the way she felt about her twin sister, Zeniiba.  
  
"Can I ask you a question, Granny?" Chihiro said, confident enough now to ask her something that had been on her mind.  
  
"But of course, child," Yu-Baaba said, smiling at her reassuringly, "What is it?"  
  
"Why do you treat people the way you do?" Chihiro asked, feeling a little unsure that she should have said it as it came out of her mouth, "Like the people who work for you and stuff like that?"  
  
"Well," Yu-Baaba said with a slight chuckle, "You have to be stern with your employees, otherwise they won't respect you. That's all I can tell you about that. You understand, don't you? Of course you do, you're quite the clever girl. You could even say you've taught me a thing or two about how to treat people and the like."  
  
"Really?" Chihiro said, and she felt something weird, like the room was shaking, but didn't think much of it.  
  
"Sure," Yu-Baaba said, pointing a finger at Chihiro and smiling, "Just don't let it go to your head."  
  
Once more Chihiro felt a rumbling under her feet. Then a pair of chubby hands covered her eyes and a child's voice whispered into her ear, "Guess who?"  
  
Chihiro whipped around and came face to face with the oversized child of Yu-Baaba. He smiled at her and with one large hand, grabbed Chihiro by the arm and picked her off the chair into a clumsy embrace. Chihiro's feet dangled a foot off the ground.  
  
"Chihiro," the boy cried, squeezing Chihiro hard enough that she thought she'd crack a rib or two in a minute. "You came."  
  
"Okay, please put me down," Chihiro moaned, and he put her down gently. "How are you doing?" she asked him.  
  
"It's good to see you again, Chihiro," the boy replied. A bird, barely bigger then a thumbtack, sat on the boy's shoulder. Chihiro remembered it fondly from her first visit to the bathhouse. It chirped in agreement.  
  
"Come, sit with me, baby," Yu-Baaba said, pointing to a spot on the floor next to her as she produced a jar of jellybeans from her desk, "Me and Chihiro were just catching up on things."  
  
The boy walked over to where his mother had indicated and sat down. Every step he took shook the room, and when he sat down, Chihiro actually bounced off the floor an inch. The boy took the jellybeans from Yu-Baaba and started eating them contentedly.  
  
"Now, where were we," Yu-Baaba said, going into her desk once more and producing a box of chocolates. She opened the box and offered it to Chihiro, who took one, before placing it on the desk between them. Chihiro bit into the confection, which was filled with creamy toffee, and tasted as mysterious and magical as the cookies.  
  
"Uh, so why don't you get along with your sister?" Chihiro asked, getting back to what she had been wondering about since she had found out that Yu-Baaba wasn't actually all bad.  
  
"Ha!" Yu-Baaba laughed loudly, "My sister. That's a little different. That goes all the way back to when we were both just small children. You must understand, I don't actually hate my sister. We just have a-"  
  
Before Yu-Baaba could finish her thought, the antique found on her desk let out a shrill ring. She scoffed in annoyance and picked up the receiver. "What is it?" she growled, "Yes, what about them? Here? Now? That many? Damn! Fine, we're on our way."  
  
"We have a small crisis on our hands, Chihiro," Yu-Baaba said, sighing heavily as she stood up, "A group of Ameki Spirits has just entered town. They're tree spirits, and a whole South American rainforest full of them have all decided to go on vacation at the same time. There's tens of thousands of them on the way. Get your apron, Chihiro, we're going to need all the help we can get."


	4. A Long Night's Day

Spirited Away: Another Day in Paradise  
A Fanfic by Viral Inque  
Authors Note: My first Spirited Away fic. Well, one of my first in general. Any feedback, good or bad, would be greatly appreciated. More chapters coming soon. Hope you enjoy.  
  
Chapter 4: A Long Night's Day  
  
Chihiro rushed back the way she had come and headed towards the staff sleeping quarters. She found her apron where she had left it, in a small cubicle along a wall lined with them, where employees kept their personal belongings. Then she hurried to the entrance to the bathhouse, where Yu- Baaba had told her to meet her to help greet the coming customers.  
  
The entire bathhouse was alive with activity, Yu-Baaba barking orders from a balcony. When she saw Chihiro, she jumped down to meet her.  
  
"Come, Chihiro," she said, leading her towards the entrance, "They'll be arriving any moment."  
  
The Ameki Spirits didn't look quite like anything Chihiro had imagined. She had pictured spirits with long, tree-like limbs and manes of green leaves. Through the open door of the bathhouse, she could see the spirits approaching. They were only about a foot and a half tall or so and were a translucent, ethereal white color. They seemed to glow in the darkness. They had simple, featureless faces with deep sockets for eyes, empty save for small, shining, red spheres that floated around inside them.  
  
"This is a nightmare," Yu-Baaba whispered, watching the approaching mass of white closely, "It's not bad enough that there are so many of them, but they aren't the easiest spirits to cater to either. They have a very unusual diet, and they eat voraciously. Bothersome, there's so many of them."  
  
As they drew closer to the bridge, marching in disorderly rows, Chihiro got a better look at the spirits. They didn't have any mouths, at least not any that Chihiro could see. A single stripe, a slightly off- color white then the rest of their features, ran from their forehead straight back over their round skulls. They had spaghetti string arms that swung uncontrollably at their sides. As they pressed forward, the bridge creaked under their collective weight.  
  
"Okay, ready now," Yu-Baaba said as the first of the spirits reached the end of the bridge, "Back straight, chin up. Let's look presentable."  
  
Chihiro did as she was instructed and waited to see what else she was supposed to do. Yu-Baaba cleared her throat, and when the Ameki entered the bathhouse she began greeting them warmly, directing them the baths. Chihiro followed suite.  
  
"Welcome to Aburaya! Welcome! Right this way," Yu-Baaba repeated over and over as the Ameki flowed into the bathhouse.  
  
"Welcome. This way please," Chihiro mimicked, bowing to the spirits as they passed.  
  
This went on for an hour or more, the spirits pouring in, with no end in sight. After a while Chihiro and Yu-Baaba's voices started to give, so they just bowed. Finally, the last ten Ameki walked through the door. These ten struggled with a silver chest decorated with a crest on top. Yu- Baaba gasped under her breath at the sight of the chest.  
  
The Ameki placed the chest down in front of Yu-Baaba. One of the spirits put its face up to the crest. The spheres from inside its eye sockets floated out and settled themselves into two grooves on either side of the crest. The crest glowed red for a moment, then the spheres removed themselves and returned to their respective sockets.  
  
Chihiro and Yu-Baaba both watched patiently, Chihiro with wonder and curiosity, Yu-Baaba with muted excitement. At first, nothing happened. Suddenly, with a creak, the chest swung open. Inside the chest sat rows and rows of neatly piled silver coins, reflecting light blindly. Chihiro kind of thought it was a little too typical of what you might find in a chest, and was a little disappointed. Yu-Baaba continued to smile and didn't give away her reaction.  
  
"Thank you sirs. This is too kind," Yu-Baaba said, bowing to the Ameki, "Please, go right on in and enjoy yourselves."  
  
They watched the spirits walk off towards the baths. When they were gone, Chihiro and Yu-Baaba were able to speak freely.  
  
"Is that a lot?" Chihiro asked, staring at the chest and its coins, which had begun to look more impressive by the minute.  
  
"Well, it is a lot," Yu-Baaba sighed, calling someone over with a gesture and slamming the chest close, "It'll cover the cost of their stay, but not much more. I was hoping they would have been gold coins."  
  
"Yes, Yu-Baaba?" Haku asked as he ran to them. He looked out of breath and beads of sweat rose on his forehead.  
  
"Take this upstairs for me," she said, pointing to the chest.  
  
"Right away," Haku said. "Helping us out tonight," he grunted to Chihiro as he hefted up the chest.  
  
"Uh-huh," Chihiro nodded.  
  
"I'll see you around then," he said, and left the room.  
  
"Right then," Yu-Baaba sighed, looking into the bathhouse unsavorily, "Get to work Chihiro. Find Rin and help her out."  
  
"Yes ma'am," Chihiro said, and ran out the room with a wave.  
  
The drone of activity became a roar as Chihiro reached the baths. She hit a wall of people, both spirit and staff, trying to get from one place to another. The bathhouse was so full, there was just nowhere for anyone to go. Chihiro could see the Ameki lining up in front of baths of every size, marching into them one at a time until they were full.  
  
Chihiro stood in her spot, waiting with the people around her for an opening to inch their way closer to their destinations. Slowly, as groups of Ameki got into elevators going to other levels, Chihiro was able to move across the floor. She didn't find Rin, and it was hard to look. Everyone was so overburdened with work, that Chihiro had to keep on stopping to help other staff members. Finally, she heard from a slug that she'd seen Rin in the kitchens.  
  
So Chihiro pressed on through the crowd. Food had begun to filter into the baths for the Ameki. It was a foul smelling stew that had some leafy greens in it, but what else might be in it was a mystery. Just when the traffic had begun to lighten, Chihiro reached the kitchens, which were still teeming with activity. The smell of the Ameki's food was overpowering here, and it made Chihiro's eyes water.  
  
She saw Rin, over by the ovens, ladling soup broth from a cauldron into serving bowls using a bucket. The cauldron was so big Rin had to stand on a stepladder so she could reach in and spoon out the broth. She wore a handkerchief over her face to avoid the pungent aroma of the brew.  
  
"Chihiro," Rin said when she noticed Chihiro, "Come on, help me out."  
  
"This is ridiculous," Rin continued, handing Chihiro a handkerchief as she approached. Chihiro gratefully took it and immediately covered her nose and mouth. "I always get stuck doing the worst jobs. My back is killing me," she grunted as she heaved another bucketful of soup into a bowl.  
  
"What can I do?" Chihiro asked, trying to keep a safe distance.  
  
"What did that Yu-Baaba do to you?" Rin asked, wiping the sweat off her brow, "She didn't harass you, did she?"  
  
"No, it was okay," Chihiro answered, inching closer so Rin could hear her over the noise in the room. "What's in there?" she asked, looking into the cauldron, then quickly turning away as the odor seeped through her handkerchief.  
  
"Who knows," Rin said, handing Chihiro a large wooden spoon, "Bunch of different roots and tree barks. They're boiled then strained out. I hate to do this to you, but if you could, just keep and eye out for any large pieces still in there and fish them out for me."  
  
"Okay," Chihiro said, and tentatively looked into the cauldron.  
  
It was like a particularly creative form of torture. Having to stick her head in from time to time to scoop out a piece of root, nothing could protect Chihiro from the noxious mixture. Her eyes burned constantly and more then once she thought she'd lose her lunch. She hoped that the workers would stop returning bowls to be refilled, but a steady stream kept coming.  
  
A couple of hours passed before two slugs came to relieve Chihiro and Rin so they could take a quick break then swap jobs. Rin laughed out loud and wished them both the best of luck, which they didn't consider very funny at all.  
  
Chihiro followed Rin into another kitchen, this one considerably more quiet and pleasant smelling. Rin served up a bowl of rice, two dumpling, and a cup of tea for each of them.  
  
"Wait here for a second," she told Chihiro and shuffled off to speak with a frog. She whispered something into his ear, and he scurried away.  
  
"Let's go outside, okay?" she said when she returned and they went through a door near the back of the kitchen and into the cool night air.  
  
They walked until they came to a wide bench. Chihiro had been carefully balancing her food and was grateful that she made it without dropping anything. She slowly put everything down in one corner of the bench and sat in front of it.  
  
"Don't start eating yet," Rin said as she arranged her food on an opposite corner and sat down.  
  
"Huh, why?" Chihiro asked.  
  
"Sorry I took so long," Haku said, approaching from behind a row of hedges. He was carrying something wrapped in a napkin. "It's pretty hard getting around the bathhouse tonight."  
  
"It's insane," Rin agreed.  
  
"Haku," Chihiro shouted in surprise.  
  
"Hello, Chihiro," Haku said, and sat down between Chihiro and Rin, "Yu- Baaba hadn't planned for all the commotion, so she said it'd be okay for us to at least eat at the same time, so we can spend some time together."  
  
"I'll have to thank her," Chihiro smiled.  
  
Haku unwrapped the napkin he had been carrying and piles of food spilled out. He took two apples and placed one in front Chihiro and one in front of Rin. Then he sorted through the food in front of him and passed out several spiced cookies to eat of them.  
  
"These," Haku said, pointing to the cookies, "Are from Yu-Baaba's personal stores. So, we'll keep this just between us. Shall we?"  
  
"Itadakimasu," the three of them said at the same time, and they started eating in earnest.  
  
"Thank you for the food, Haku," Chihiro said, trying one of the cookies. It had the same mysterious quality she had sensed in the cookies she'd had earlier.  
  
"Yeah, thanks, Haku," Rin chimed in, in-between mouthfuls of rice.  
  
"Think nothing of it," Haku said, turning to Chihiro, "So, how are your parents doing?"  
  
Chihiro told them everything that was new in her life, just as she had done with Yu-Baaba. Haku and Rin told them more stories about what had been going on in the bathhouse. Chihiro was simply ecstatic, enjoying herself more then she had in her whole life. She didn't even mind having had to do all the hard work with the smelly soup. It had been all worth it to enjoy sitting and just talking. It seemed so mundane, but nothing was boring in the spirit world. Time passed quickly, as it does when one is enjoying themselves, and soon they were finished eating and were faced with having to go back to work.  
  
"Oh, no way, can't we just relax for a little longer?" Rin whined.  
  
"I'm afraid not," Haku laughed, "What's worse, the Ameki probably won't be leaving until at least tomorrow night."  
  
"You're kidding," Rin screamed.  
  
"Do you think you would mind staying that long?" Haku asked Chihiro, "The deal was that you could only stay the night. It's just harder to get you back at the time you left the longer you stay. But I'm sure Yu-Baaba would be happy to have you around to help. After the Ameki leave, maybe we'll have a moment to enjoy together without having to worry about work."  
  
"I'll happily stay as long as I can," Chihiro said.  
  
"Wonderful," Haku said, standing up, "Now, unfortunately, we have to get back to work. Let's go." 


End file.
